For 22 years there has been a dog in the store Fargerike Gjert in Holmestrand. Timmi (12) has been with food father Gjert Marius Meland at work since day one. Before that, his father brought his dog with him for ten years. – We think it’s very cozy, it’s also a family member. According to Meland, most customers know Timmi. Children ask if they can come and have a health check. – New customers think it’s nice that he is frolicking around here. A survey from Agria Dyreforsikring shows that far more people take their dog to work now than before the pandemic. They asked 400 dog owners in the survey. Is it okay to have a dog at work? Yes No Meet the dog Show result Feel free to tell us what you think about bringing the dog to work in the comment field at the bottom of the case. Completely normal At a law office in Skien, the dogs Luna and Rex are frolicking around. They are with stepmother and stepfather at work. For lawyer Helge Husaas and secretary Jorunn Haugen, this is normal. For others, it might be special, they think. The dog Rex and foster father Helge Husaas, and the dog Luna and foster mother Jorunn Haugen sit together on the sofa in the lawyer’s office. – Now that the dog has become so old, it means everything that she can be with me at work, says Haugen. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news – We tell people before they come here, says Husaas. If some clients are allergic, the dogs are placed in another room, and they ensure that the conference room is completely dog-free. According to the lawyer, most people think it’s just pleasant, and he thinks it’s a good “icebreaker” to talk a little dog. Advantages and disadvantages There are both advantages and disadvantages to having your dog with you at work, says veterinarian Annika Kristensen at Anicura Skien Veterinary Clinic. Annika Kristensen is a veterinarian at Anicura Skien Animal Clinic. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news If the dog has separation anxiety, it can be nice to be with the owner at work. But Kristensen still believes that the dog should be trained to be able to be alone. – It is positive for both dog and owner that they can distance themselves from each other. – You also have to think about the working environment of those who actually work there. If the dog barks and beeps, it is tiring for both dog and human. Fully safe working environment Mette K. Reiten is a lawyer and has over 25 years’ experience in HR and management. She says that this is not regulated in a law. Mette K. Reiten is a senior adviser for personnel and leasing at Compendia. Photo: Compendia – This is typical personnel policy. As long as things are not forbidden, you can decide how you want it to be in the workplace. Taking the dog to work can work well if everyone knows each other well and has a low threshold for speaking up, Reiten believes. She points out that some people may be allergic or afraid of dogs. – When new people start, it must be perfectly legal not to be perceived as unpopular if one says something. And one must be willing to change practices, even if the dog has been there for years. Everyone has the right to a fully safe working environment. Dog as a colleague In the color shop in Holmestrand, they respect customers who are allergic or afraid, Gjert Marius says. Timmi will be placed in the office if customers give notice. – We also have customers who have been anxious about dogs, who have seen him pawing around the shop for many years. They have now gotten used to him and think it’s cozy. Timmi is like an assistant, and the colleagues at Gjert Fargerike immediately wonder where he is during the few days he is not with us. – This morning he stayed at home, and the first thing they say when I come in the door is “where’s the dog?”. Gjert Marius Meland portrays Timmi as a calm soul. If you want Timmi’s health, you have to seek him out yourself. Photo: Vegard Lilleås / news Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue
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Here they have brought dogs to work for over 20 years – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
